Michael Lucey is the Sidney and Margaret Ancker Chair and Distinguished Professor of French and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. His work bridges French literature from the 19th to 21st centuries with social theory, sexuality studies, and linguistic anthropology. He has authored the critically acclaimed What Proust Heard: Novels and the Ethnography of Talk (2022) and Thinking about Sexuality with Novels (forthcoming). As founding director of the Center for the Study of Sexual Culture , he has shaped interdisciplinary research in queer theory and gender studies. Current research focuses on novels as ethnographic tools Specializes in Proust, Balzac, Woolf, and contemporary French fiction Translation work includes Didier Eribon and Édouard Louis His recent articles explore phonetics in narrative, readability frameworks, and sociological implications of literary form. He actively engages with comparative methodologies and critical theory, while his teaching spans British and American literature’s intersections with French modernism. Lucey’s academic leadership includes directing Berkeley’s Center for the Study of Sexual Culture, which supports global discourse through fellowships and conferences. His office hours are held in Dwinelle Hall and via Zoom. Contact: mlucey@berkeley.edu
Marlyse Baptista is the President's Distinguished Professor of Linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania, Department of Linguistics. She is affiliated with the School of Arts & Sciences and MindCore initiative. Her research focuses on language contact, creolization processes, bilingualism, and experimental methods in creole studies. Baptista leads the Language Contact and Cognition Lab, previously known as the Cognition, Convergence and Language Emergence (CCLE) group at the University of Michigan. Education includes a PhD in Linguistics (Harvard, 1997), MA degrees from Harvard and the Université de Bordeaux III, and extensive training in multilingual education. Her work bridges generative syntax with experimental approaches, including artificial language learning to study language convergence. Key themes include the cognitive underpinnings of creole formation, bidirectional influences in Cape Verdean Creole, and the role of congruence in language acquisition. Research highlights include studies on Cape Verdean Creole's grammatical properties, genetic-linguistic admixture correlations, and pedagogical resources for creole language education. Recent projects explore experimental validation of creole genesis theories through multilingual acquisition studies. Scientific Awards: President's Distinguished Professorship (University of Pennsylvania) Labs/Teams: Language Contact and Cognition Lab, MindCore Grants/Projects: MULTI Project (creole language educational resources), NSF-funded studies on creole genesis mechanisms Baptista's work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, integrating syntax theory, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics to address foundational questions in contact linguistics and creolistics.
Laurel MacKenzie is an Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics at New York University (NYU), affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Science. She specializes in variationist sociolinguistics, dialectology, and language change, with a focus on English and French varieties. Her work integrates quantitative analysis of speech data to explore intra-speaker variation and language evolution. She co-directs the NYU Sociolinguistics Lab and leads the NSF-funded NYC Individual Differences Corpus project, alongside the Our Dialects initiative, an online atlas of British English dialects. Education: PhD in Linguistics, University of Pennsylvania (2012) BA in Linguistics and French, University of California, Berkeley (2006) Research Interests: Morphological and syntactic variation Regional dialects of English and French Linguistic pedagogy and public engagement Recent Projects: Recent work includes publications on participle leveling in English, sociolinguistic replication studies, and grammatical variation analysis. She has also collaborated on dialect mapping tools and consulted for media projects on language change and accents. Awards: No awards explicitly listed in provided texts. Labs/Teams: NYU Sociolinguistics Lab (Co-Director) Our Dialects Project (Academic Lead)
Dr. Frances Smith is an Associate Professor in Film Studies at the University of Sussex's School of Media, Arts and Humanities. She holds a PhD in Film and Television Studies from the University of Warwick (2013), an MA in Management from Durham University (2008), and a Master of Modern Languages in French/Italian from Manchester University (2007). Her research focuses on teen cinema, female authorship, Hollywood and European cinema, and gender studies, with current work on Céline Sciamma's Girlhood. She authored Rethinking the Hollywood Teen Movie (2017) and co-edited Refocus: The Films of John Hughes (2021). Teaching includes convening Analysing Film, American Teen Cinema, and Working with Film modules. She has taught Gender and Representation, British Cinema, and Study Skills. Her awards include Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (2016). Active in PhD supervision focusing on teen cinema, female authorship, and gender in cinema. Publications span over 25 articles/chapters addressing topics like queer youth representation, transatlantic media comparisons, and directorial authorship in John Hughes and Amy Heckerling films. Research explores intersections of gender, space, and cultural identity in global popular cinema.
Prof. Dr. Claudine Moulin is a Full Professor of Historical Linguistics at the Department of German Studies, University of Trier. She co-directs the Trier Center for Digital Humanities and serves as Vertrauensdozentin der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft. With academic roots in Brussels and Bamberg, she completed her PhD in 1990 and Habilitation in 1999 at the University of Bamberg. Her research spans medieval and early modern languages, manuscript studies, digital humanities, and Luxembourgish linguistics. As a leading scholar in historical linguistics, Moulin's work explores urban language history, phraseology, and cultural knowledge transmission through manuscripts. She has directed major digital humanities projects like LexicoLux and Cartul@rium, while pioneering digital codicology methods for medieval texts. Her research combines traditional philology with computational approaches. Her academic accolades include the Akademiepreis Rheinland-Pfalz (2010), Landesverdienstorden (2014), and the Verdienstkreuz am Bande (2025). She has held visiting professorships at Sorbonne, EHESS Paris, and EPHE, and received fellowships from the Humboldt Foundation and European Science Foundation. Notable Academic Roles: Co-founder and Chair of DHd (Digital Humanities in German-speaking countries) Founding member of Trier Center for Language and Communication Member of German Historical Institute Paris scientific board Advisory positions at Austrian Center for Digital Humanities and Herzog August Bibliothek Her editorial leadership includes chief editorship of Sprachwissenschaft journal and co-editorship of Germanistische Bibliothek monograph series. She has mentored over 40 graduate students in topics ranging from medieval marginalia to urban language studies.
Laurie Shannon is the Franklyn Bliss Snyder Professor of English at Northwestern University, with a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. She studies English literature and culture in the long sixteenth century, focusing on the history of ideas in language, stakeholdership, embodiment, and cross-species relations. She serves as convener of The Anne Lister Society and is collaborating with Oxford University Press on a scholarly edition of Anne Lister’s Journal. Education: J.D., Harvard Law School; Ph.D., University of Chicago Shannon’s research explores the political imagination in early modern literature, particularly through friendship (Sovereign Amity: Figures of Friendship in Shakespearean Contexts) and animal studies (The Accommodated Animal: Cosmopolity in Shakespearean Locales). Her current monograph, 'Frailty’s Name: Shakespeare and the Natural History of Human Being,' examines human negative exceptionalism in Renaissance thought and its implications for climate crisis ethics. Her publications span Shakespeare studies, queer theory, environmental humanities, and textual editing. Notable awards include the Elizabeth Dietz Memorial Award, Robert B. Cox Teaching Award, and Dean’s Award for Graduate Mentoring. She has held NEH, ACLS, and Guggenheim fellowships. Scientific Awards: Elizabeth Dietz Memorial Award, Robert B. Cox Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award, Dean's Award for Graduate Mentoring, NEH Fellowship, ACLS Fellowship, Guggenheim Fellowship Shannon contributes to the Anne Lister Diary Transcription Project and has served as English Department Chair at Northwestern. Her recent articles focus on Shakespeare’s engagement with natural history, queer cosmology, and animal sovereignty, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach.
Georges Kostakiotis is a Senior Lecturer at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilisations (INALCO) in Paris, France, specializing in Modern Greek language and literature. His academic appointment falls under CNU Section 15, covering Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew and other languages and literature. He serves as Head of the TEMPO course for Modern Greek and teaches across multiple levels from L1 through L3, including text study, written and oral practice of Greek, Modern Greek thematic courses, specialized Greek text corpora, and technical translation at M1 and M2 levels. Dr. Kostakiotis's research focuses on the intersection of language pedagogy and literary studies. He investigates teaching oral communication from both practical and theoretical perspectives, examining how literary texts function as effective pedagogical tools in foreign language classrooms. His work develops specialized strategies for teaching Greek to Latin-speaking audiences, leveraging linguistic connections while addressing acquisition challenges. Additionally, he explores literary representations of politics and urban worlds, situating Greek literature within broader European and Balkan contexts through the CREE (Centre de Recherches Euro-Méditerranéennes et Euro-asiatiques) research center. Analysis of Dr. Kostakiotis's publication record from 2009-2024 reveals consistent scholarly engagement with Greek literature's relationship to Balkan cultures and historical contexts. His work demonstrates particular interest in how Greek literature addresses themes of foreignness, crisis, and identity through comparative analysis with other Balkan literary traditions. His research spans pedagogical approaches to language teaching, literary analysis of Greek texts, historical examinations of Greek literature, and cultural studies of Greek communities in the Balkans. Dr. Kostakiotis has been instrumental in organizing numerous academic events that bridge language pedagogy and literary scholarship. He has coordinated multiple conferences and study days focused on language teaching methodology, including sessions on oral communication techniques, vocabulary acquisition strategies, and assessment approaches. In the realm of literature and cultural studies, he has organized scholarly gatherings examining Greek-Romanian relations, Phanariote history, women's perspectives in Greek literature, and urban studies with particular attention to cities like Thessaloniki and Alexandria. His collaborative work, including co-edited volumes on Greek-Romanian relations, demonstrates his commitment to fostering academic dialogue across national and disciplinary boundaries.
Jennifer Rushworth is an Associate Professor in French and Comparative Literature at University College London (SELCS). She holds a DPhil in Medieval and Modern Languages from the University of Oxford (2010–2013) and previously served as a Junior Research Fellow at St John's College, Oxford (2013–2017). Her research focuses on mourning, medievalism, music, and interdisciplinary studies spanning literary theory, cultural analysis, and philosophy. She has published extensively, including her monograph Proust’s Songbook (Penn Press, 2024). Her work aligns with Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), and 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Education: DPhil in Medieval and Modern Languages, University of Oxford (2010–2013) Her research integrates musicological, philosophical, and critical-theoretical approaches to modern literature. Recent work explores intersections between memory, aesthetics, and cultural heritage. She teaches courses on comparative literature, medievalism, and French literature. Her academic contributions emphasize interdisciplinary dialogue, with a focus on how literary and musical forms articulate historical and philosophical themes.
Rachel Morley is an Associate Professor at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES), University College London. She holds a BA in French Language and Literature from the University of Oxford (1992), followed by BA, MA, and PhD degrees from UCL (1999, 2001, 2011). Her roles include Academic Director of Education and Student Experience at SSEES (2022–2027) and Co-Convenor of the UCL SSEES Cinema Research Group. Dr. Morley's research focuses on Cinema studies Cultural studies Feminist and queer theory Literary studies with emphasis on Soviet/Russian cinema, gender representation, and film historiography. She held a Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship (2020–2022) for her project on female subjectivity in contemporary Russian cinema. Her teaching spans Russian cinema, poetry, language, and translation. Past roles include Postgraduate Teaching Assistant at SSEES (1999–2009) and lecturer at the University of Cambridge (2006, 2008). She has also supported international students as SSEES International and Affiliate Tutor (2014–2018). Key Achievements: Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2016) Her work bridges film, literature, and cultural history, emphasizing underrepresented narratives and feminist perspectives in Russian and Soviet cinema.
Blair Hoxby is Professor of English at Stanford University's School of Humanities and Sciences, where he has taught since 2007. Previously, he served as Associate Professor of History and Literature at Harvard University (2005-2007) and Associate Professor of English at Yale University (2003-2005), where he began as Assistant Professor in 1998. His academic journey includes a Ph.D. in English from Yale University (1998), an M.Phil. in English Studies from the University of Oxford (1990), and an A.B. in English and American Literature and Language from Harvard University (1988). Hoxby's research focuses on literature and culture from 1500 to 1800, with particular emphasis on tragedy theory, Milton studies, and the intersection of literature and economics. His notable works include What Was Tragedy? Theory and the Early Modern Canon (2015) and Mammon's Music: Literature and Economics in the Age of Milton (2002). He argues that early modern tragedy differed significantly from contemporary understandings of the genre, with passions rather than deeds or character serving as the keys to early modern tragic performance. Hoxby's recent scholarly output reveals a consistent engagement with early modern theatrical practices, particularly tragedy and opera. His work demonstrates sophisticated interdisciplinary approaches, connecting literary analysis with historical context, economic theory, and performance studies. He has made significant contributions to understanding how commercial culture shaped literary production and how theatrical conventions evolved across national boundaries in Europe. Scientific Awards and Honors Internal Fellow, Stanford Humanities Center (2009-2010) Morse Fellowship, Juilliard School (2001-2002) Samuel and Ronnie Heyman Prize, Yale University (2001) John Addison Porter Prize, Yale University (1999) Rhodes Scholarship, University of Oxford (1988-1990) Hoxby has supervised numerous doctoral students and served in various administrative roles at Stanford, including Director of Undergraduate Studies (2011-2014) and Director of Graduate Admissions (2008-2011). His teaching portfolio includes courses on English poetry from the Renaissance to Romanticism, tragedy and tragic theory from Aristotle to the present, theater history, and performance theory. Currently, he teaches courses such as Court Theater from Shakespeare to Mozart and Introduction to English II: From Milton to the Romantics . Hoxby maintains active scholarly engagement through committee memberships, including the Executive Committee of the Milton Society of America (2009-2013) and service as a referee for major academic presses including Oxford University Press and the University of Pennsylvania Press.
Dr. Laura McMahon is an Associate Professor in Film and Screen Studies at the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics , University of Cambridge. She is currently on sabbatical leave and will return in Easter Term 2024. Her research explores intersections between film and philosophy , with a focus on French and Francophone cinema , decolonial approaches , feminist theory , and ecocritical perspectives . Dr. McMahon’s work examines how contemporary feminist filmmakers like Onyeka Igwe and Khady Sylla engage with archives to reframe history through speculative reimagining . She also investigates ecological themes in Claire Denis’s films and the ethics of animality in global art cinema. Her monograph Animal Worlds: Film, Philosophy and Time (2019) and edited collections like Animal Life and the Moving Image (2015) highlight her contributions to debates on nonhuman representation and deconstructive aesthetics . Her recent publications analyze documentary practices , postcolonial archives , and critical repurposing in moving image work. She welcomes inquiries from MPhil and PhD students working on related topics. Her teaching and research are affiliated with the Cambridge Film and Screen initiative and the Cambridge Italian Research Network (CIRN).
Leigh Oakes is Professor of French and Linguistics in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures within the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film at Queen Mary University of London. He has held progressive academic positions at the institution since 2000, advancing from Lecturer to his current professorship. His international academic background includes a PhD from the University of Melbourne and research at Stockholm University's Centre for Research on Bilingualism. His educational qualifications include a PhD (2001) and BA (Hons) (1996), both from the University of Melbourne. Oakes specializes in language policy and planning, with particular focus on language and national identity in France, Quebec, and Sweden. His research has expanded into linguistic justice debates in political theory, advocating for normative and interdisciplinary approaches to language policy. Oakes' publication trends reveal a consistent focus on ethical dimensions of language policy, with increasing emphasis on pluricentric justice and linguistic integration since 2016. His work bridges sociolinguistics and political philosophy, demonstrating strong interdisciplinary connections between language attitudes, national identity construction, and policy implementation across Francophone contexts. The 2018 co-authored monograph 'Normative Language Policy' represents a significant theoretical contribution to the field. 2008 Pierre Savard Prize for 'Language, Citizenship and Identity in Quebec' Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant for 'The Ethics of Linguistic Integration' project Co-editor-in-chief of Sociolinguistica: European Journal of Sociolinguistics Co-editor of Multilingual Matters book series Member of editorial boards for Language Policy and Modern Languages Open Oakes actively supervises PhD candidates in sociolinguistic topics, with current research focusing on linguistic integration in Quebec and adaptation among mobile French speakers. His major Leverhulme-funded project 'The Ethics of Linguistic Integration' examines moral implications of language requirements for immigrants across England, Quebec, and Wales. He serves on several international academic committees including the Association internationale des études québécoises and the British Association of Canadian Studies. He leads the interdisciplinary 'Ethics of Linguistic Integration' research team, which combines expertise from applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and political theory to investigate language integration policies. His work connects with broader university initiatives through Queen Mary's research highways in social justice and global challenges.
Salikoko S. Mufwene is the Edward Carson Waller Distinguished Service Professor of Linguistics at the University of Chicago. He holds additional appointments on the Committees on Evolutionary Biology, Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science, and African Studies. His research integrates ecological perspectives into evolutionary linguistics, focusing on language contact, creole genesis, language endangerment, and the impact of colonization and globalization on linguistic diversity. Education: PhD in Linguistics, University of Chicago (1979) Key Themes: Language evolution, creole languages, population structure, decolonial linguistics, language policy Mufwene’s work emphasizes the role of population dynamics in language change, drawing parallels with biological evolution. His recent articles examine topics such as the cultural-artifact nature of language, the ecological drivers of creole hybridization, and the decolonization of linguistic paradigms. He has also contributed extensively to debates on language endangerment and multilingualism in super-diverse societies. Scientific Awards: Fellow, Linguistic Society of America (2018) Fellow, American Philosophical Society (2022) Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2023) Collège de France lectures (2003, 2023-24) Summer Institute of the Linguistic Society of America (1999, 2005, 2015, 2017)
Lucie DE CARVALHO is a Lecturer in British Civilization at the University of Lille, Faculty of Languages, Culture and Societies, Department of English Studies. She is affiliated with ULR 4074 - Center for Studies in Civilizations, Languages and Foreign Literature. Graduated from ENS Cachan Specializes in British Civilization Based at University of Lille (BO.529) Dr. DE CARVALHO's research focuses on contemporary British politics, political discourse studies, British energy policies (particularly nuclear and renewable energy), neoliberalism, historiography of science, and climate governance. Her work demonstrates a consistent engagement with the intersection of political power, energy policy, and media representation in the British context. She has developed a particular expertise in analyzing how the UK state manages controversial technologies like nuclear power within neoliberal frameworks. Her publication record shows a consistent output spanning from 2014 to 2024, with recent work examining twenty-first century UK broadcasting ecology, teaching British history to French students, and contemporary nuclear power policies. The analysis of her articles reveals a strong thematic continuity centered on British governance, energy policy, and the complexities of neoliberal state intervention. Her research employs interdisciplinary approaches drawing from political science, media studies, and science and technology studies. Member of the SAES (Society of Anglicists in Higher Education) Member of CRECIB (Centre for Research on British Civilization) Associate member of the Research Center in British Civilization (CREC) Institute of the Anglophone World, Sorbonne Nouvelle University – Paris 3 Member of the UK Political Studies Association Member of the European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST) Member of UACES Dr. DE CARVALHO has demonstrated sustained research activity across multiple domains related to British studies, with particular emphasis on energy policy and political discourse. Her work bridges academic research with pedagogical practice, as evidenced by publications on teaching British history to French undergraduate students and language learning through television series.
Max Cavitch is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Arts & Sciences, specializing in American literature, psychoanalytic studies, and cinema. He joined Penn in 1999 after earning his B.A. from Yale and Ph.D. from Rutgers. His research spans 19th- and 20th-century literature, African American studies, and interdisciplinary fields like animal studies and gender theory. Cavitch has authored influential works such as *American Elegy* (2007) and co-edited volumes on Whitman and early American studies. He directs Penn's Psychoanalytic Studies program and edits the blog *Psyche on Campus*, honored with the 2022 American Psychoanalytic Association's Excellence in Journalism Award. His teaching includes courses on psychoanalysis, autobiography, and American poetry. Cavitch has held fellowships from the Fulbright Foundation, Newcombe Foundation, and others. His recent projects explore world autobiography, psychoanalysis in academia, and the history of 'ashes' as a conceptual and material symbol. Award-winning scholar and educator, Cavitch's work bridges literary criticism with clinical theory, media studies, and transnational frameworks. He advises doctoral students in American literature and affiliated programs, maintaining active collaborations with institutions like the McNeil Center for Early American Studies and the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia.
